Nicotine and alpha-bungarotoxin modify the dendritic growth of cholinoceptive neurons in the developing chick tectum

Abstract

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors have been suggested to participate in morphogenetic processes during development of the nervous system. In this study, nicotine applied both in ovo and in vitro produced a reduction of the neuritic length of cholinoceptive neurons of the developing chick tectum, whereas alpha-bungarotoxin produced the opposite effect. Taken together with previous data, our results are indicative of a role of the alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive nicotinic receptors in neural development.